this post was submitted on 27 May 2026
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[–] KatherinaReichelt@feddit.org 12 points 2 days ago

It's one of those examples that makes you think that many of the people around you are just giant toddlers in adult bodies. It's a minor thing. You can easily drink out of a bottle with them. You can rip them off. It totally makes sense to have this regulation. People are crying like little babies about it.

[–] 87Six@lemmy.zip 16 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I really hated the attached caps at the beginning but companies eventually figured out how to make them pretty well. Now they're not too bad to use

[–] detren@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago

Same with paper straws. Someone will always make it better and more convenient than what came before.

[–] Alchalide@lemmy.world -5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I just rip them of each and every time. It's has become a reflex by now.

[–] Jiral@lemmy.org 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I hope you make sure, each any every time, that the cap does not end up in the environment. Otherwise your flex is not what you think it is.

[–] 87Six@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'm not who you replied to but I don't think I've ever lost a bottle cap dude. I wasn't even aware that's issue.

I always used to separate the bottles, and to save space, I'd squeeze the bottle as much as possible then put the cap on so it wouldn't expand back out.

I just thought everyone did that... I still don't understand how the caps weren't always thrown in with the bottles tbh.

[–] Jiral@lemmy.org 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Separated caps are one of the greatest groups of plastic on Europe's beaches and due to their size a pain to remove, much more than the bottles. Same goes for forests. I guess, peopke loitering also don't care about putting caps back on.

Also with properly disposed bottles it is far from the norm that everyone is doing it the way you are doing it (even though many do). In that case it is not such a big deal though as long as the caps end up in the trash as well.

[–] 87Six@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 day ago

Huh. Alright

[–] calavera@lemmy.zip 17 points 2 days ago

It's so much better to have this as an EU regulation instead of each country creating their own. Imagine 3 or for different standards about how that would need to be. At least we have only one standard, that's the beauty of EU

[–] Jiral@lemmy.org 13 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

The cap regulation is an example of good regulations. It creates almost no additional costs, once the initial transition is completed (for which also sufficient time was provided) and it saves a fortune in waste related costs, especially regarding waste at the beach and in forests. And all those memes how functionality is negatively affected, comes from people not willing or incapable of figuring out something as simple as how to use the new caps correctly.

And those who say one cannot regulate this while staying competitive or at the edge of technology are talking nonsense. It has nothing to do with that, at all.

[–] freeman@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There are some bottle manufacturers who trying to skip on costs, make the attachment so short it's difficult to securely close them so they don't leak.

I just snap them off and close them but its more difficult for older persons, especially women.

[–] Jiral@lemmy.org 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I've never had that problem so far. While there are quality differences, so far all of them had been functional. But in any case, there is competition, one choose products based on product quality.

[–] chmod755@feddit.org 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I want standardized power sockets and plugs in Europe.

[–] Jiral@lemmy.org 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Stuff like that is incredibly hard and expensive to achieve. That said, most of the EU is nowadays somewhat compatible. Thanks to Type C and CEE 7/7 plugs.

[–] LordR@lemmy.world 46 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Most if not all regulations have a good reason behind them. Look at the charging ports for phones and laptops for example.

Or just look at the USA. Their rivers were literally burning some decades ago. Sure the companies could make more money by polluting everything, but companies shouldn't be the main focus of a country or a union.

I'd rather have too many regulations than none.

[–] ZkhqrD5o@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

USA and Germany disagree.

[–] sepiroth154@feddit.nl 39 points 3 days ago (1 children)

But companies such as Coca-Cola also did something revealing: while they trumpeted the design of the new caps as a sign of their unwavering commitment to sustainability, they maintained the detachable ones virtually everywhere else.

Colour me surprised.

[–] nosuchanon@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Why are you surprised? Companies do only what is legally mandated in the area they operate.

They don’t give a shit about anything except laws they are forced to comply with. Everything else is to make profits for shareholders.

All the corporate greenwashing is just a publicity stunt.

  • recycling programs
  • carbon credits
  • eco fuels (corn ethanol)
  • clean coal ( /s)
  • ”natural” gas
  • ”organic” / “non-gmo” produce
  • ”safe” pesticides
  • “sustainable” materials (lol)
[–] rapchee@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

'twas sarcasm

[–] rycee@lemmy.world 22 points 3 days ago (1 children)

As an avid weekend hiker that often brings a bag with me for picking garbage that people leave in nature I am very happy about the new regulation. Nowadays most bottles come with the cap attached which otherwise would be easily missed.

[–] TorstenTyp@feddit.nu 1 points 1 day ago

Mad respect to you, unfathomable to me that people would litter in nature.